Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is directed to an automated fastener insert installation system for composite panels.
Description of Related Art
Composite panels, such as honeycomb-cored sheets, often cannot have mechanical fasteners directly affixed thereto. In some instances wherein such a composite panel may require a mechanical fastener to be affixed thereto, a fastener-receiving insert may first be installed in and secured to the composite panel, and the mechanical fastener is then engaged with the insert. In this manner, the mechanical fastener can be used with the installed insert to secure the composite panel to other composite panels or structures.
However, such inserts often require a high degree of precision and conformance to tolerances when installed in the composite panel in order to provide an effective anchor for the mechanical fastener. For example, there may be several configurations or sizes of inserts, and each insert requires that the insertion orifice in the composite panel be correspondingly configured or sized. It is not desirable to install an insert configured for a through-hole orifice in a blind-hole-configured orifice, and vice versa. Moreover, insert-receiving-orifice defined by the composite panel must have an appropriate diameter and/or length/depth corresponding to the diameter and/or length of the insert received thereby. Further, the inserts may have to be installed so as to be as close to flush or coplanar with the outer surface of the composite panel as possible, in order to provide optimal interaction with the mechanical fastener and structural integrity of the assembled end product. In addition, such an insert may often be installed in the composite panel using an adhesive material (i.e., a special purpose two-part potting compound). However, such a special purpose potting compound typically requires careful handling, but also has a limited time in which it can be applied once mixed or actuated. Also, such a potting compound cures and hardens, once applied, which may limit re-work opportunities in the event of an imprecise insert installation procedure. In some instances, one imprecise insert installation in a composite panel will, at a minimum, require labor intensive rework, and may cause that composite panel to be designated as scrap.
As such, there exists a need for a system and method for installing fastener inserts in composite panels that addresses issues in a conventional process.